Rivals of CPN Chairman and Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli have resumed the party's standing committee meeting at his residence in Baluwatar on Tuesday after he unilaterally postponed it for indefinite period earlier on the day.
A meeting of senior leaders Jhala Nath Khanal and Madhav Kumar Nepal, Spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal at the latter's residence in Khumaltar on Monday had concluded that the standing committee meeting should not be stopped. Dahal also talked with Vice-chairman Bam Dev Gautam and Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa after the meeting.
Dahal, Khanal, Nepal, Shrestha and other standing committee members had reached Baluwatar despite Oli postponing it. Dahal has resumed meeting despite Oli's absence after other standing committee members also reached Baluwatar.
"Our meeting continues. 25 standing committee members are attending the meeting," Khanal told Setopati. The standing committee is 44-strong.
Oli, meanwhile, is consulting standing committee members close to him in Baluwatar.
The Oli faction claims that he postponed the standing committee meeting after waiting for Dahal, who was scheduled to turn up at nine in the morning, for over one and a half hours.
